Smith opens door to Rangers duo

Rangers manager Walter Smith has opened the door for Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor to return to the team despite previously vowing they would never play for the club again.

The duo were banished from international football and also incurred Smith's wrath after a late-night drinking incident and subsequent behaviour on international duty last month.

Former Scotland boss Smith said: "I have the right to change my mind but what I am doing is making them available for selection again, not saying they will play."

He added: "I did say in an off-the-record briefing to journalists that they would not play for the club again.

"Since then I have had a think about it and I have looked at the way it has been handled by the SFA. The president said the issue, the original problem, was not handled properly, then (Scotland manager) George Burley said it had not been handled properly.

"So I ask myself: if the SFA admit they did not handle it properly, am I being harsh? If people in charge are saying it was not handled well, then I feel I have got to give them some leeway."

Smith also criticised the SFA's initial handling of the drinking session when six players breached rules but only Ferguson and McGregor were punished.

He said: "There were six players involved and two end up getting the majority of the blame.

"The SFA have started a new trend in criminality - if you leave the scene of a crime early, you are not guilty."